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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23340055">Growing Trees</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buttersweet_Lockheart/pseuds/Buttersweet_Lockheart'>Buttersweet_Lockheart</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The heart of the prince [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Age Regression/De-Aging, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders is a Sweetheart, Caring Logic | Logan Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders &amp; Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders Are Twins, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders Angst, M/M, Morality | Patton Sanders is a Sweetheart, Other, Prince Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Protective Anxiety | Virgil Sanders, Protective Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Roman sanders age regression, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit Sanders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:20:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,254</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23340055</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Buttersweet_Lockheart/pseuds/Buttersweet_Lockheart</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Roman is stuck in the imagination after a nasty fight with the others. His door is locked and missing from the hall and he is pulled into every senario the imagination creates making him a part of the story. Roman only wanted to help.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders/Morality | Patton Sanders, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders/Deceit | Janus Sanders/Logic | Logan Sanders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The heart of the prince [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1678555</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>76</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Growing Trees</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"YOU GOT THOMAS HURT! ROMAN WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!" his voice was sharp digging another shard deeper and deeper into Roman's bleeding heart. Trying to answer was hard as tears blurred his vision and choked sobs. "NO. NO, YOU DONT! YOU DONT GET TO CRY AFTER WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" flinching Roman held his breath trying to stop his trembling shutters with wisps of stutters, airsoft whimpers escaped him unable to move and at least try and clean his face. His eyes too wide, too afraid to scared to try.</p><p>"I KNOW YOU REPRESENT EGO." a long deep audible sigh was heard as he started up again "Look what you did to Patton!" he chances a look at the soft delicate man to seem him cowering and shaking with fear, bruises coving his body. "I -- I" Roman was cut off by a glare from Logan if looks could kill his life would have ended in a torturous way sending him to the very deepest part of hell. "Just because <em>YOU</em> were <em>JEALOUS</em> of <em>REMUS!"</em> his voice went up and down like a jumping cat, like he wanted to calm down but couldn't as his anger and hate couldn't be masked any longer. Roman felt a cold chill seep down into his bones he wasn't jealous! No, not that. He never was he just wanted to be useful again to be loved like Remus to get attention like him. Trying to respond got another angry yell and rant from the other and horrifying angry looks his way. Looking up from logan and Patton, Roman had barley anytime to react as Remus came out of nowhere slamming him against the far wall with his morning star. </p><p>No one moved to stop him as he kept going, no one moved to help him, no one moved because they had finally had enough. Roman watched as Deceit seeming satisfied with the amount of damage done to Roman finally pulled Remus away from his withering body. But that didn't help as his eyes spoke of pain and misfortune yet to come for what Roman had committed. His head felt like mush as his ears rang like sharp piercing static, he chanced a look at Patton then slowly to Thomas who was now being held by Deceit and Virgil. Roman knew how much his mistake set Thomas back, how it was all his fault Thomas and Patton were hurting. If only he had put his feelings aside just a little longer all of this could have been avoided. But he never was good at waiting or good at anything. "Thom.." his voice was cut off by Deceit silencing him. </p><p>He felt the final shard of glass sink so deep into his heart that his core wavers and flicker his life was ending as it started, wasn't it? He tried to whisper apologies to Patton and Thomas only to feel himself being pulled to the inner world of Thomas's mind. Seeing the confused hurt look on pattons face, relief that flooded through Virgil's glare. Remus and Deceit who sneered clutching the others tighter as Roman let his tears finally fall freely finally realizing he had truly lost in his life's quest. </p><p>That there was no other villain to this story but himself. He the prince the protector was the monster. No not his brother, not the snake or the martyr it was him who destroyed everything in this home, in his home. Quietly as he could Roman tried to speak feeling Deceits hand release his voice but as he went to so he stopped. It felt like shards of glass ripping at his throat. Maybe that's what Roman needed right?! Not to speak? If he didn't speak no one would get hurt. No one would hear his stupid plans and ideas it's not as if they were good anyway right?! Panicked Roman started panting through constricted breaths. If he hadn't spoken Thomas would be okay! Patton would be laughing and smiling baking cookies, THEY WOULD All BE OKAY.!</p><p>Roman felt blood reach his inner throat as it gurgled to the surface, with a final strong push he landed in the imagination watching as chains flew around the world turning it a haunting gray. He looked around panicked as the castle and everything inside started to burn! But his body couldn't move he was too far away to help. Too weak to help. Watching as everything went up in smoke disappearing rapidly and turning white Roman watched as his part of the imagination disappeared. Crying he tried to scream in silent pleas for it to stop as his core flickered quickly almost turning out completely. "Thomas please" he screamed but no sound truly left his mouth turning to his door he watched it corroded and change splintering and damaging as it slowly faded with cation tape and chains surrounding it. As it was replaced by a wall of stone. </p><p>Trying to stand up was horrifying as the sounds of snaps and cracks mixed in with gurgles and ripping of blood and skin. Roman watched as his creations disappeared taking an agonizing stumbling step forward sent Roman plummetting as that land too turned to a smokey white. He watched it all disappear turning to white then ash then gray as he collided against the floor unmoving everything was too painful even his staggered breaths. With tears still in his eyes, he watched the sky. The small burning gray embers sinking deep into his skin and rotting away at what they could only to disappear when they landed on his colorless corpse after a moment to many. He remembered rushing Thomas, he remembered forcing Thomas to go along to fallow him with a run and sprint after that man "the love of his dreams" his soulmate. Despite the warning signs, despite the others yelling and fighting him to stop but in a small flicker of hope, Roman remembered the feeling of being wanted and needed even if it was a fleeting lie. It all ended in heartbreak slicing right through him and hurting not just Patton and the others but most importantly Thomas. The same Thomas who told him to tell the others he loved them and that they would understand and possibly love him back. The same Thomas who held him as he cried for the love he lost. </p><p>He watched as the ash clumped around him starting to cover up his corpse as the tears that stained the light gray ash turned it into moldy mounds of clay. He remembered the others bringing Remus in and how happy he was! How much he hopped everyone would love Remus just as much as he did and cherish him even more. He watched the comments grow and grow on the love for everyone but the sound of anger and hate from some fans towards himself filled his heart with sorrow. Even if so many more said they loved him. He watched everyone warm up to Remus faster but calmer making sure to include him sometimes forgetting Roman in the process. He remembered waiting at his door to be called only to never hear it. He would ask the next day and all he ever got was a half pitting sorry and a pat on the shoulder. </p><p>He remembered making Thomas believe that man loved them. That he was truly the one. Right after Remus had been given his job to create a script on a subject all the others knew Roman had been working on for years and was always improving on. He didn't even know it till the That same day when Roman was getting ready to act and Remus pushed him out of the way front center of there stage. He found out that he was never even in the equation that everyone else had decided without him. Roman smiled and laughed congratulating his brother for an amazing performance. But after closing his door he cried against it clutching his knees and holding his head. He was so fucken stupid to have believed Logan would ever tell him about this about anything!  </p><p>He remembered making Thomas feel so excited about the dates even if they knew the man was always on his phone his mind always in some other place. He knew why he did it he always did, it was because Remus got the people Roman loved to love him back and not hate him for being him. Roman hugged him so tightly he could just squeeze him to death. He was happy truly he was it just hurt it hurt to watch his brother get what he hoped and wished for and had chased after for so many years. After that Logan no longer talked to Roman about scripts or asked for help on them anything really, Patton no longer asked to bake and the few times he did he always forgot to be there as Roman waited and waited for him to arrive hours wasted on fruitless hope. Patton never came. He tried asking Virgil or Deceit for company but he found out that they thought he was either too loud or bold, to egotistical or too brash, or too much like a child. He laughed when they said it but the scars and blood dripping from his lungs said otherwise.  </p><p>He remembered the last explosive date they had with that man were Roman finally got his shit together and confronted the guy with Thomas at his side about his lying and cheating and how much it hurt them. His words about how easy it was for Thomas to be usable because he was too eager and desperate for love, how his heart was so weak he bet with one punch Thomas would crack. Roman made Thomas break it off at once this man was no good he never knew how Roman had ever believed it, it was a big stupidly made mistake on his part. Roman didn't amount to Thomas getting angry and punching the guy as Roman tried to help Thomas stay safe Virgil came out the look of detest was on his face. after they arrived home alone, heartbroken and bruised all thanks to him. He remembers there faces he remembers how they all told him how he should have listened, how delusion his dreams had been how even <em>Remus</em> was still grounded in reality. How if Remus was the one piloting he would never <em>have</em> let this happen. </p><p>He remembered all the times he begged Logan to help him, to speak with him and how much he sought logans praise. How much he asked and pleaded for Patton to hang out more just a second just a smidge and how many times he was pushed away for something better something new. How Virgil easily snapped at him for the easiest things after awhile Roman had stopped trying to fight back just snapped back a few words to make it look like a fair fight it hurt too much to try. </p><p>The dust-covered Roman from head to toe just leaving his face bearly peeking out as the sky filled with smoke again the ash starting to alight with flames burning his skin and slowly stifling his core. </p><p>He remembered trying to help Remus and trying to at least know what the new sander sides videos would be about. He never got an answer since Remus was better at explaining and being grounded a few videos later Roman was completely cut off the script. How when he asked deceit for help for a little screen time deceit told him to stop being jealous of Remus and that I had gotten my time in the limelight and to let Remus have his. I remembered when we met that man how all the warning bells went off in my head. How I knew even then that what I was doing this for me, so selfishly I ran into his arms dragging Thomas and Patton and all the others along just to get us hurt for my stupid insecurities. As Romas tears stopped the smoke came down and dissipated covering a silent and still Roman with the final layers of ash. His core flickered quietly as Roman slept his hands covering his heart were small roses emerged from. The imagination shifted and changed breaking down and bringing Remus's side to a complete circle with small hints of Roman's influence lingered in the area it crossed over. But most of all was the small thrown made of an old flourishing oak wood tree with glowing yellow leaves and bright red roses shining in its breeze. The only one of its kind as Thomas laid crying beside Vergil and Remus with listless sleep as no dreams came to be. </p><p>The tree was in the farthest corner of the imagination on a small lonely island with flourishing plants and bees animals so cute and fluffy only a kid would ever dream of. Under the tree lay a stone of a crown and a carving of a core as Roman no longer breathed into the mind of a fanciful dream. They say he dreamed of sheep as he closed his eyes, they say he died a painless death but no one truly knows, they say you can hear the laughter of a child hidden out at sea. As his heart was carved into a chest in the middle of the sea. Laid a tree were a fanciful prince laid to rest. Once upon a dream.</p>
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